Unworthy
by Cassander
Summary: A year has passed since Quintas returned to Arianne and she saved his life, but still in hs heart he feels unworthy of her love.


Silently we enter the room. There is nobody else but us.

You turn towards me and as you do you let your dress slip from your shoulders and fall to the floor. The flickering candlelight turns your flawless skin into pure gold. The blue pools of your eyes bore into my soul, watching me as I take in the sight of you.

As I reach out my hand and playfully run a light finger along your slender form, journeying from your collarbone, along a perfectly slender neck to your ethereal face, I do not mind trembling at the sensation.

I feel not like a soldier of Rome when I am with you Arianne, but rather a pilgrim that has wondered far and has finally found his temple of worship. Travel worn and thick with dirt. Unworthy of admittance into the temple that his heart desires.

Yet you Arianne invite me in and take my trembling hand in yours and lift it to your lips to kiss it gently. You have blessed me with your grace and now your beauty shines so bright it is almost hard to look at you. Who am I to deserve this Goddess next to me. Who am I to deserve the wonder that you are.

Look at my hands they are rough and callous from many battles. My body is covered with scars that go deep beneath my flesh. These hands that touch you are stained with the blood of many, these arms that hold you are strong enough to win any battle, but too clumsy to hold anything as precious as you.

Surely you must realise that you are mistaken. That you have admitted a wonderer along the edge of night into your temple of light.

Can you see Arianne that I am not worthy of the bliss your embrace bestows upon me.

You step closer and closer until there is no light between us, just bare skin on bare skin. You move in for the kill, kissing me with all the fire and passion that I have come to love you for. Your tongue slides effortlessly along my lips, tempting them to part and as they do your tongue forces its way in almost as if it were an intruder breaking down a door.

Breathlessly I run my hand down your perfect form until I find what I want. You do not stop. You push yourself hard against me, willing me to take you without words.

How can I resist you? 

Our bodies merge and become one, I am so swept up in the moment that I am slightly startled when your cry of ecstasy suddenly shatters the silence of the room. Your flesh tightens and you tremble under the sensation as you reach your climax. I slowly withdraw from you saving my own pleasure while you bask in the aftermath of your own.

When you turn to me, your brow glistening with sweat, you look more beautiful to me than ever. Your complexion gives away your guilty secret, your cheeks are flushed and your lips full, your pulse is racing.

Without a word you return the favour, taking me roughly in your hand at first and then so delicately in your mouth. I cannot see through the pleasure of it all and I close my eyes and put my head back enjoying my moment.

You instinctively know when I am close as you draw back for a moment. It is more than I can bear and I let myself loose control to you, unashamedly calling your name and I reach my peak.

We lay together in our nakedness by the fire, a bond stronger than anything I have ever known binds us.

I dare not look at you scared of what you might read in my eyes. Never have I felt such perfect happiness or deeper despair than in this moment.

I close my eyes and the memory of sweet ecstasy hits me like an arrow in the dark. Your clear eyes veiled by passion, the soft curve of your lips, parted slightly so that you could breathe my name.

Without a word you silently call to me and my eye lids flutter open unable to resist. Our eyes meet and you hold my gaze, will not let me escape. A slight worry is in your expression, mirrored in the fathomless pools of your blue eyes.

"What troubles you Quintas?"

Slowly I raise my hand to caress the soft skin of your face.

My fingers entangle in the fluid of your hair, I pull you in close and kiss you long and deep. A shiver runs over me as you lean into the kiss, giving yourself completely to me.

I will gladly give you my heart, even if in the end it tears me apart. You see strength in me that I do not see.

You lay in my arms, both of us dreamy from the aftermath of our lovemaking.

"What will become of us Arianne? "

You smooth my hair back and kiss me lightly.

"Only the Gods know that." You whisper as you kiss me again.

"I could not be without you Arianne." The threat of tears chokes me.

"Or I without you…" you wipe a tear from my cheek with your thumb. "But let us not think of such things."

You lay your head on my chest and lightly run your finger along the scar on my thigh that is now long healed. I remember the time that has passed between my arrival back here when you saved my life until this precious moment that has just passed between us.

I vow I will never leave you again Arianne. As this is just the beginning of or story.


End file.
